One of the major themes that I took away from this book is the idea of "dissociation." Dissociation involves a fracturing of what Glendinning calls the "primal matrix": a condition of active interconnectedness with the the natural world which constitutes psychological wholeness and personal integrity. A Cartesian mind/body split is an example of a dissociated self; another example is a fragmented self-identity. Glendinning discusses the relatedness and similarities between post-traumatic stress and dissociation, and in doing so, she forges a link between personal healing and the healing of our relationship with the Earth.

In the first part of her book, Glendinning talks in detail about the psychological and social characteristics of nature-based people that serve to nurture a self that is engaged with the primal matrix. She also describes the historic process of civilization's dissociation from nature, beginning with the advent of agriculture and moving up to our present, mass technological society.

People who have experienced trauma enter into a state of dissociation (which can be mended, as Glendinning illustrates by telling of her own ongoing process of reconnecting with the primal matrix). But even people who have not experienced major psychological trauma are compelled to participate in our widely-dissociated and fractured society, and that also constitutes a form of oppression and denial. In our society, we are prevented from knowing, from a very early age, our true place and purpose, our real belonging, intertwined with the web of life.

In the latter section of the book, Glendinning proposes some solutions to this dilemma. She notes that a solution cannot take place on a merely individual psychological level; that it must involve interwoven restoration efforts on personal, social, and ecological scales.

I recommend this book-- it's a seminal work of eco-psychology, well-researched, on point, intelligently and poignantly written.

Original Wisdom - by Robert Wolffi'm re-reading this book at the moment and it blows my mind. the authour spent 2 years, on and off, visiting an aboriginal group called the Sng'Oi (Senoi with a gutteral stop). they are the most profoundly human people i have read about. i wish words could describe the feeling i get when i read about them. their way of life is beautiful, totally in the moment. Wolff describes them as 'living in a spiritual reality'. to me, this is the 'mecca' of what is possible for humans. i only wish there was more literature on them as i just soak up every detail about them. the authour is a great guy - i've been in email contact since i read the book and he's great to chat with. enjoy!

OK, all this talk of moon and water. . . I can't walk away without saying you (yes you, all the different kinds of you we talk about here) must read The Disobedience of the Daughter of the Sun by Martin Prechtel. Run! go find it, borrow it, steal it, dig it up!

Still reading (sigh), but feeling very nourished and really having a breakthrough about the idea of how badly we need story. Brilliant!!! As FOOD, yes, I get it now, as something to keep us alive and feeling alive. Feeling very, very, very hungry for stories to do all for us that this story does for the Mayan folks in Santiago Atitlan.

A World Full of Gods: An Inquiry into Polytheism by John Michael Greer (who I believe Jason quoted a few times) is a great book for the non-monotheist interested in philosophy of religion, especially in using that philosophy to point out to the philosophical flaws in monotheism, and that animism and polytheism (two sides of the same coin, in my opinion) hold up against the arguments which bring monotheism crashing to its knees.

Edit:Oh yeah, and the book is published by the church that I belong to, which is pretty cool and has almost no hierarchy (just for business purposes), so if you end up getting a copy it'll support an organization that encourages non-dogmatic spirituality.

I started reading this book at the Skill Share and got a good ways into it before more pressing matters (namely, breakfast) forced me to put it down. I now have it checked out from the public library and will use it for rabbit tanning. I really like what I've read from it so far. It provides many, many different tanning methods for a body to choose from. It also includes patterns for making hats, mittens, vests, etc.

blew my lid off. Jesus freaking christ, a rewilding primer. these people live like water in the cracks, within yet outside of the "dominant culture". beautiful--strong, healthy, hardy, outdoor-living people with intact families, tribal traditions, grief and praise, song and story, non-hierarchical and fluid community structure. . . written by someone who lived among them as one of their own.

I'm really surprised that no one has mentioned S.M. Stirling's "Dies the Fire" books. These are a post-change, techno-collapse series set primarily in the Northwest part of the USA. Tons of survival, farming, and even scout stuff in them. Really good. He's on a second set of book now.

Any or all of the "Foxfire" books written back in the 70's and 80's. Tons of information mainly about the Smokey Mountains and Adirondiks but still very useful.

Very bloodthirsty and not very informative but the "Horseclan" novels by Robert Adams are extremely entertaining and speak about a post apocolyptic tribe of people. The later books go into some detail about forming a nomadic existance from the remains of the modern world.

I was fascinated by this book. It's very well-researched and the author presents information in many forms: medical/behavioral research summaries, nutritional science, and most importantly, observational anecdotes of individual cases of animal self-care in the wild.

I feel healthier just having read it! I also feel inspired after immersing myself in stories of animals who find everything they need for optimal health in the wilderness surrounding them. Engel does mention the occasional human society using wild health practices, too.

I also found a wonderful quote in this book: "Health consists of having the same diseases as your neighbors." -Quentin Crisp.

read that a couple weeks ago, it kind of bummed me out. I just finished Into the Forest by Jean Hegland, which cheered me up. Great story about two sisters surviving collapse and going feral. Highly recommended.

I just finished Into the Forest by Jean Hegland, which cheered me up. Great story about two sisters surviving collapse and going feral. Highly recommended.

Yes! I stayed up very late several nights with Into The Forest unable to put it down and finished it recently. I felt the story open up so wide once the sisters realized the allies that they had in the plants and forest ecosystem around them. Wonderful book that stirred feminine energies inside me.

Have to thank y'all for such a wealth of solid book titles in this thread and others in the past like it...this place is often the first resource I go to when I'm at the library looking for books to read. I've just begun Parable Of The Sower by Octavia Butler which was recommended earlier in the thread.

Intense! Stories from the Nootka people of Vancouver Island about their secret warrior women. Keep that in mind, all ye menfolk tempted to enter here. Secrets, I tell you! Women's secrets. Red Tide has an entirely new meaning for me now. :o

Civilization arrived with diseases--->apocalypse, decimation. I felt so moved by the stories of how the people fought back (at least initially) that I wanted to know more about these people: see the Nuu Cha Nulth tribal website.

Click on something from the cultural stories pulldown menu to hear what their grandmas and grandpas have to say.

The Watchmen -by Alan Moore. Best Comic i've ever read. Deep, scarred characters facing difficult choices. Great atmosphere, believable world. You owe it to yourself to check this one out and you might just find that comics can be deeply moving explorative pieces of fiction.

Decided to put this one under the "Book Titles" topic instead of the "Comics-topic" found somewhere else on the forum because it seems to fit better here. Change thread if necessary